‘The chief sinews of Baha’i society’: Reflecting on the role of Local Spiritual Assemblies
In its message dated 30 December 2021, the international governing body of the Baha’i Faith, the Universal House of Justice, described the role of the local governing councils of Baha’i communities in advancing the work of community-building when it said:
To assist the Local Spiritual Assemblies to grow their capacity “to advance the community-building work within its jurisdiction”, the Baha’i Council for Western and Central Australia recently invited Local Spiritual Assembly members from South Australia and Western Australia to two special gatherings held in Adelaide and Perth. Representatives from Australia’s governing body, the National Spiritual Assembly, were also present as were representatives from the institution of the Counsellors and those spearheading the coordination of community-building activities at the local level.
The gatherings included an exploration into how Local Spiritual Assembly members could energise the local community-building efforts. There was a focus on supporting and strengthening groups of families, networks, and teams of friends and colleagues as a means of encouraging universal participation. A significant element of the program involved active planning and identifying next steps for each Assembly.
One of the quotes studied at the Perth gathering described the role of Local Spiritual Assemblies as “the chief sinews of Baha’i society.” Reflecting on the role of a sinew, one of the Assemblies described it ‘as a piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone’. This led to a discussion on how the Local Spiritual Assembly is to be closely connected to the core activities (bones) in order to assist in binding the system together into a coherent well-functioning whole. The purpose was then understood that by the Local Spiritual Assembly connecting closely to the core activities, and supporting the friends, its role would significantly assist in creating thriving, vibrant communities and developing momentum towards the community-building process.
Thanks for reading.
Subscribe
Baha’i Council for Western and Central Australia
The Baha’i Council for Western and Central Australia is a body that works across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory to support the community-building endeavours of Baha’i communities in the area.
Published in October, 2024, in Baha'i Institutions > Events
Available online at: horizons.bahai.org.au/bahai-institutions/the-chief-sinews-of-bahai-society-reflecting-on-the-role-of-local-spiritual-assemblies/
Related Stories
Artworks showcase strength and sacrifice
An exhibition honouring strength, sacrifice and steadfastness is currently on show at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture (ACCC) in commemoration of the one year anniversary ...
Exploring importance of social action and elevated discourse
Some 450 Baha’is and their friends of all ages from Brisbane and nearby communities came together at the University of Queensland last month to participate in the New Horizons Conference ...
Hundreds celebrate unity at Baha’i Temple Family Day and children’s service
More than 100 children and their families flocked to the Sydney Baha’i House of Worship in July in celebration of unity. Held as part of the Northern Beaches Council Creative Open ...
Strengthening the learning process: Groups of families
The local governing bodies from Australia’s south-eastern region have gathered in Sydney and Melbourne to explore how groups of households across New South Wales, the Australian Capital ...
Spiritual and multicultural: Holy day commemorations in the regions
For many years, the Munirih Khanum Project has visited the Victorian community of Golden Plains Shire to mark the Baha’i holy day commemorating the Martyrdom of the Bab, the forerunner of ...
‘Somewhere not on this earth’: Experiencing the inauguration of Papua New Guinea’s House of Worship
Visitors to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) national Baha’i House of Worship have described feelings of “amazement and awe, peace and joy” after attending the inauguration of the temple in May. ...